CLOSING HOUR FOR HOTELS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1921, Page 1

CLOSING HOUR FOR HOTELS.

THE POSITION in SYDNEY. SYDNEY, July The decision of the magistrate, t' other day, that the hour at which Hotelkeepers may close their hat’s is 11 P-t" and not 6 p.m., the hours now universally observed in this State, has caused a great flutter. The Government, through the Crown solicitor, has naked the magistrate t. state a case for the opinion of the S 1 ’ premo Court and meanwhile ihe pohre are threatening licensees with all ”>rL of dreadful filings if they do not continue to close at 6 p.m.

The ease appears to be ”, perfectly plain one. and in favour of the magistrate's ruling. Sydney, half v: t v through the war, was greatly troubled bv drunkenness among tlie Hoops, am’ once or twice to save riots the hotel’ were compulsorily closed at 6 p nt. Then it was decided to have a referendum on the subject and : he people by a great majority, decided to ( ’<< < -<■ tlie bars at G p.m.. for the period of the war and “six months Mierenft.u” expired. the Holman Government brought in a Bill providing for •’

! referendum to ho taken within 1h i months from January Ist.. lf)?D. on the 1 question of prohibition with eompnnsn(ion iiml also to'decide. ;n the altcrnntivo on the permanent dosing hour* for bars. This hill derided that “Subject to Section ITT” of the Aet (which was the section prorifling that tin* referendum had to ho taken within 1 0 months) the war-time provision for the dosing of bars at 6 p.ni. should continue until they were 'eithojr closed altogether or a new hour was fixed. Tn the meantime the Holman f.'ov'rnnient was defeated a Tin bon r Governmeni came in and promptly found itself immersed in finaneial diffienlties. Thi Government refused to take the referendum. Tt pointed out that prohibition would almost certainly he defeated: that if it were carried New South Wales was incapable of finding Hie £12.000,0(X) that would lie ••erinired as compensation ; and that the referendum itself would cost CSO.OOO.

Therefore, when .Time 30th.. 1021. arrived, and the referendum had not been taken within the 18 months as stipulated, it was elaimed that hotelkeepers were entitled to revert to tli ( > closing hour (11 p.m.) which had been observed prior to 1916, when the people bv

ferendnm altered it as purely a war time measure. The lieensee of a < : »v wine-bar took this view and the magistrate decided in his favour. The lieensrxl victuallers, as a body, do not want 11 p.m closing. They are doing very well with 6 o’clock closing. The Inter hour, they say will im an now staffs, new lighting and cleaning expenses, and increased ore -head expenses. They thought they were rubied when 6p.m. was established, hut they have found they arc better off than ever.